Telephone handsets comprise slidably disposed components such as keypad protection covers. An exemplary slide assembly is disclosed by EP 1 075 125. This document discloses the Nokia 7110® mobile phone, which is provided with a sliding cover construction that protects the keypad. The sliding cover is used in either of two extreme positions, namely, in the closed or in the open position. Intermediate positions between the two extreme positions are only passed when moving from the one extreme position to the other, whilst it is undesirable for the cover to remain at any intermediate position. The Nokia 7110® phone is retained in the closed position by a snap lock and urged by resilient means to the open position. A cover ejection key on the rear side of the phone releases the keypad protection cover to slide to the open position. The keypad protection cover is manually pushed back to the closed position and retained there by the snap lock.
Hinges which are biased to both open and closed positions by a resiliently-biasing over-center mechanism have been used in handsets with hinged keypad protection covers. Over-center mechanisms are however less suitable for sliding elements.